Playing nice to all religions may be wishful thinking
by Gavin Ashenden, Sunday Times:
King Charles took the earliest opportunity to publicly commit himself to the Anglican Church, speaking in his first address to the nation of his “deeply-rooted” faith.
The new monarch has become the new Supreme Governor of the Church of England, with the striking title of ‘Defender of the Faith’, and, as one of his first acts last week, he convened the leaders of the major religions in the UK at a meeting at Buckingham Palace.
In a statement to those assembled, he spoke of Britain as a “community of communities”, a diverse nation with many religions and beliefs. He had a duty to protect this diversity, “including by protecting the space for faith itself,” he said. “I hold myself bound to respect those who follow other spiritual paths, as well as those who seek to live their lives in accordance with secular ideals.”
There is no doubt at all that this is a reasonable, pragmatic and culturally- and politically-well attuned ideal for the monarch of a multicultural society at the beginning of the 21st century.
But the advent of multiculturalism and different competing faiths introduces a level of potential conflict that the monarchy needs to avoid if it is to flourish, and perhaps even survive.
The King’s interpretation of faith may commend itself to some, but may offend and alienate many of those who practice their faith.
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